Today, June 12, marks “World Day Against Child Labour.” This international observance aims to shed light on the suffering of millions of children who are forced to work under harsh conditions that threaten their childhood and fundamental rights. It calls for greater efforts and the adoption of immediate and effective measures to reduce child labour, as a step toward its complete eradication.

This year, the occasion also reminds us of the painful incident that occurred last May, widely known in the media as the “Abu Ghaleb Ferry” tragedy, in which 17 girls lost their lives after drowning on their way to work in fruit harvesting.